I say Chicago.
If you listen to their first 5 albums you will hear music that is as good as anything the Beatles did. Especially their first album.
The Beach Boys in my opinion 😊
BTW- Chicago is one of my favorite bands. Their debut "The Chicago Transit Authority" ranks in my top 10.
So the real question is about American bands that are better than the Beatles? I can name dozens. None of them are as influential but I think besting the Beatles isn't that big of a task. I'd respect the argument that some music wouldn't have come around like it did without the Beatles but that's about as much as I give them as far as their cultural significance.
shareof Montreal. I think Kevin Barnes is the most prolific, creative, and talented songwriter to come along since Lennon/McCartney. An acquired taste for sure. They're from Athens, GA (not Canada, lol).
shareMetallica.
shareThe Doors
Their first album (Jan/1967) was so much better than Sgt Pepper (which was released after The Doors)... No one heard a song like "The End" back then. But "The Doors" stayed at #2, although "Light My Fire" was at #1 for a while. It's not a favorite of mine, especially the single version. My favorite part of that song was the guitar solo, which was cut.
1967-1971 --- no fluff. The Beatles were together twice as long.